Prosperity at LHS

Without exception, every student at Lexington High School wants to be prosperous. But what really constitutes “prosperity”? First and foremost, Lexington High School is a school, so acquiring knowledge and skills shall be the most important measure of prosperity. Additionally, success in social relations, such as with parents, friends, and teachers is also crucial, since we all have to interact with others. Last but not least, is having a good state of mind, which includes being calm and simply being happy. These three factors: academic, social, and mental, are the foundations that contribute to a student’s prosperity.

While it is relatively easy to define the meaning of “prosperity” at LHS, it is more difficult to actually realize it. It would be naïve to tell someone to simply “be prosperous” and expect it to happen. It is precisely because that achieving “prosperity” is easier said than done, that Benjamin Franklin’s wisdom is so useful. In his perennial essay or proverbs, “The Way to Wealth”, he lists numerous similes and metaphors, underneath which lie a wealth of practical advice applicable to prosperity at LHS:

“Diligence is the mother of good luck”, writes Benjamin Franklin. This is the most basic advice to follow for achieving prosperity. It means that you must work persistently to achieve success. With hard work, success (the so-called “luck”) comes naturally. On the other hand simply wishing for prosperity will give you none, hence Franklin’s phrase “he that lives upon hope will die fasting”. It is true that some luck could come from pure chance, like winning the lottery, but those chances are few and far between, and in fact are rigged to work against you. Similarly, you should not plan on doing well on tests without studying and doing the homework. It might work a few times, and your teacher might not even check, but it will come back to bite you, no matter how smart you believe you are. To achieve true prosperity, you must not be afraid of going forward, and be confident that diligence will make you reach your goals. In school, you will face plenty of hard tasks, especially long term projects. Don’t be intimidated by a hard task. Break it down into easier parts, because in the end, Franklin writes, “by diligence and patience the mouse ate in two the cable”.

 “A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two different things”, writes Benjamin Franklin. While it is impossible to achieve prosperity without hard work, too much hard work can be even worse. That is why we all need time for a break in our lives. You should work hard and play hard. However, not all “play” time is created equal. As Franklin says, “leisure is time for doing something useful; this leisure the diligent man will obtain, but the lazy man never.” You might think that you are enjoying yourself when you loop TV shows over and over, or when you constantly check for updates on Facebook, but in the end it will make you feel bad, since you know that you’ve just wasted time. And “lost time”, Franklin says, “is never found again”. Most of the time of modern high school students is wasted from using modern technology, something Franklin would’ve never imagined, but rest assured, he still offers great advice for how to deal with it: “A fat kitchen makes a lean will”. Your willpower is limited, so you can decrease the distractions/ temptations of technology by limiting their influence. For example, unless required, don’t do homework with a web browser open. Do your homework with the computer off, or in a room where there is no computer. Now that we’ve talked about how not to waste time being lazy, how do you find good “leisure” activities? Unfortunately, the answer is not so simple. People have different hobbies. For some, it can be sports. For some, it may be music. Whatever it is, as long as what you’re doing makes a clear positive impact on you or the world, then keep doing it.

“A ploughman on his legs is higher than a gentleman on his knees”, writes Benjamin Franklin. This means that you are always better off being a self-standing person who lives by your own values rather than somebody who bends to and depends on the influence of others. Whether it is among your peers in LHS now or later on in life, you should always remember that only you know yourself the best, and only you always have your best interest at heart. You should not give in the peer pressure if you don’t want to. You should not feel the need to be constantly approved by others. If others judge you because of that, it’s their problem.

“Pride is as loud a beggar as want, and a great deal more saucy”, writes Benjamin Franklin. You should confide in yourself, but you should not be proud to the point of arrogance. Remember that while you carry on your business as you want, others should be doing the same thing too. In the end, everyone is equal, and you should treat them as such by respecting their opinions. “And ‘tis truly folly for the poor to ape the rich, as for the frog to well in order to equal the ox”, he also writes. This means that you shouldn’t brag, pretending to be better than you are. You will be like a “beggar” begging for attention, and others will surely see through your insecurity. If everyone is humble and honest, we can have a harmonious society where everyone gets along in a place as diverse as LHS.

By working hard but playing hard, being confident but being humble, students at LHS can prosper academically, socially, and mentally. But remember, reading all of this is not nearly enough. You have to actually follow the advice, which is much easier said than done. After all, Franklin writes, “we may give advice, but we cannot give conduct”.